The instant invention relates to a process to service work stations of spinning or doubling machines by means of a plurality of service units capable of travelling alongside the work stations as well as to a device to carry out this process.
In spinning or doubling machines an end section is always configured as a service section through which the machine is connected to the electrical utilities network, to an air exhaust line, etc. In addition, fully automated machines are equipped with feeding and waste disposal equipment, such as for example equipment to supply the machines with empty bobbins or to remove the full bobbins. Because of the space required by this equipment, the servicing equipment can travel around the machine only at one of its ends.
The travelling equipment used to service the work station of spinning or doubling machines must be inspected from time to time to ensure that it remains operational. Since the side of the service units which faces the spinning stations must be accessible for this purpose, the service units are run to the end of the machine where said service units can switch over to the other side of said machine. In this arc segment the desired accessibility exists without interfering with the spinning stations.
However, this has the disadvantage that the spinning stations cannot be serviced during the inspection, not even by a second service unit, since the service unit to be inspected blocks the way from one side of the machine to the other. This leads to outages and stoppages of the spinning stations for extended periods, resulting in production losses.
It is therefore the objective of the instant invention to create a process and a device which make it possible to carry out the servicing of the spinning stations continuously, also during inspections of the servicing equipment.
This objective is attained by the invention in one exemplary embodiment thereof in that the service unit to be inspected is brought into an inspection position, crosswise to its usual direction of travel, in which also its side to be serviced which is otherwise turned towards the machine is rendered accessible and in which its path of travel is opened to another servicing unit, whereby another servicing unit travels into the usual path of travel of the service unit being temporarily inspected or adjusted and takes over the servicing tasks of the work stations now rendered accessible to it until the inspected service unit is brought back from its inspection position into its operative position after completion of the inspection. In this manner one or several service units can take over the servicing tasks of the work stations of a service unit to be inspected, without the service unit to be inspected blocking access for such and without it being necessary for the working service unit to return to a starting position, which would otherwise result in temporary interruption of the servicing process. In this manner, no work stations are deprived service by a service unit for the duration of the inspection.
When more than two service units operate in a production line which contains several machines connected to each other by a working section, it is advisable to distribute the task of servicing the work stations normally serviced by the service unit being inspected among the remaining service units in order to achieve an even work load distribution among such remaining service units.
Several of the functions of a service unit can only be checked when the latter is connected to energy sources. For this reason it is preferable if the service units, when they are in their inspection position, remain connected to the supply lines. If the service unit is designed so that, when in operation, it can be called by malfunctioning work stations to perform a service task, a further variation of the process according to this invention provides for the service unit to be uncoupled by a trip control line during or before movement into its inspection position.
To carry out this process in a device of the type mentioned, the instant invention provides for a section of the running rail to be capable of being moved crosswise in relation to the longitudinal direction of the running rail in order to bring a service unit into its inspection position, and for a control device which causes the remaining service units to service those spinning stations which would otherwise have been serviced by the service unit which was brought into inspection position. When the service unit which is out of operation resumes its operation, each of the service units is again assigned by the control device to its own servicing area which is independent of the servicing areas of the other service units.
If the spinning or doubling machine installation to be serviced by two service units includes, for example, merely one single machine with one finite rail system, a service station containing a segment of the running rail is suitably provided at each longitudinal side of the spinning or doubling machine, at least one of said service stations being capable of being moved crosswise to the direction of travel, whereby each service unit can be adjusted selectively by means of the control device to service one or both longitudinal machine sides. It is preferred if both service stations are then distributed over the two ends of the running rail, since this establishes the conditions for an especially simple design of the service station. It is then sufficient if only one of the service stations can be moved crosswise to the longitudinal direction of the machine. Each service unit is capable of being hereby adjusted by means of the control device to service one or both longitudinal sides of the machine.
The service stations can be made in different ways; even the service station of one and the same installation can be made differently. However, it has been shown to be particularly advantageous if an embodiment in accordance with the objects of the invention provides for service stations with a carriage capable of being displaced crosswise to the longitudinal direction of the rail. In order not to affect the accessibility of the machine when the service station is in a position away from the machine, it is best if the carriage can be moved at a sufficient distance from the machine so that a passage accessible to a maintenance person is created between the machine and the service unit on the carriage. Sufficient room is thereby provided so that work can be performed on the service unit.
To ensure that the service unit cannot fall off the service station when the service station is in its position away from the machine, it is best for the service station to be equipped with a locking device which secures the service unit against axial shifting. This locking device can be controlled very simply if it can be activated or inactivated automatically as a function of the movement of the service station. The preferred means to achieve this includes having the locking device assume its locking position as soon as the rail of the carriage leaves its position in alignment with the rail of the machine, but before the rail has left the zone of extension of the machine rail. Accordingly, the locking device reaches its deactivated position only after the rail has again reached the zone of extension of the rail of the spinning or doubling machine but before it has again reached its position in alignment with the rail.
To be able to position the rail of the service station in relation to the machine rail without difficulty, a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided interactive adjusting elements of rails and service station.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reversing device includes switching elements which can be activated or deactivated between a running rail and a connecting rail.
A number of inspection tasks and readjustments can be checked or made, respectively, only if the service unit runs automatically. For this purpose, provisions can be made according to the instant invention for the connection between the energy carrying system and the service installation being releasable and a reserve loop of the supply lines to be provided in such manner in the area of this connecting point that it can be dissolved when the carriage is shifted away from the machine and which is reconstituted when the carriage returns to the machine.
The instant invention makes it possible to take a service unit out of operation, whatever the special design of the spinning or doubling machine or of its stationary or temporarily assigned auxiliary equipment, in such a manner that a second service unit is able to take over the work of the first service unit unhindered, without the latter getting in the way. Furthermore, the side of the deactivated service unit which faces the spinning station is accessible for inspection. It is not even necessary in this case for the deactivated service unit to be disconnected from the utilities network. In addition to all the functional advantages, such embodiment according to this invention of a spinning or doubling machine installation is simple and space-saving in its construction and can be serviced easily and in a timesaving manner.